Today the kids don't have school. Icy roads are the culprit. The kids were so excited to see the blue ticker on the bottom of the tv screen go from "2-hour delay" to "Closed". I was less excited. Not because I don't like to spend time with my kids, I do, I really do. But they had yesterday off school for a staff development day, so I took a vacation day. Monday the week before they had off for MLK day, so I took a vacation day. Monday and Tuesday of winter break, Monday and Tuesday of Spring Break, vacation day, vacation day, vacation day, vacation day...you see a pattern? Kids have a lot of school off. I get 15 days of vacation, but with all the time my kids have off school, those days are gone pretty quick.
So today I didn't take a vacation day, I brought my three kids to work. Not a busy office, a nature center, so not as painful for them to come here as maybe a kid whose Mom works someplace else, but still. I AM working and they don't really get what that means. They keep coming in my office and seeing me on the computer. My two oldest have each asked me, "Mom what DO you do for your job?" I have worked here 5 years and they don't know what I do for my job??? That's the problem with working for a not-for-profit. I don't spend my days making something or selling something. I work to keep the place up and running and to help pay people's paychecks. That involves A LOT of things: grant writing, fundraising, meetings, thank-yous, programming, facility decisions, more meetings, etc., etc. None of those words mean much to three kids under 13 years old. They probably don't mean much to many adults. But I have a good job, that I think is important, at least to people that value the environment, so I am here, doing...well...stuff.
Good news is, the possums are thriving here at Tanglewood. They are growing like mad; their fur is getting fluffy and whiter. They seem more comfortable here; they run around in the downstairs offices looking for scraps on people's desks and in their purses. They drink people's water and step all over the phones, calling people in and out of the building. They let you hold them and they climb up your pantleg to your shoulder. They will definitely be good to take out to school programs because they are people-friendly.
Now the bad news; the groundhog. He's cute like Buddy was cute- until you try to pick him up. Think Cujo, but smaller and with vegetarian teeth. He bears those teeth, he hisses and he rears up and shows you his star-shaped anal glands. Don't ask, it isn't pretty, even with the star-shape. SO, he won't be good for programming. That means we have to let him go come Spring. He won't have trouble out there we don't think, he's pretty darn wild. So if you come to Tanglewood to hike this spring and a scary little groundhog runs up to you, don't panic, it's just Digger. Don't try and pick him up though.
As we begin 2008, we are thinking about fundraising. We think about fundraising a lot, but especially at the beginning of a new year. Tanglewood, after much thought, has decided to eliminate one of our regular fundraisers and focus on just one this year. We will not be holding the Brews N Bears fundraiser anymore. Not because it wasn't fun, it was. But it really isn't in line with our mission, it always holds some risk, and as fundraisers go, it has run its course.
We will be holding an Art Raffle/Auction on May 3rd. We will raffle off 15 pieces of work each valued at $350 or more. We will also hold a regular style auction of other pieces, including glass. It will be a semi-formal event and the tickets will be $100 for a couple. We have to redouble our efforts for it in order to raise enough money to meet our goals.
So what do we need to do this? Well, we have Board members willing to help and sell tickets. We have music and a place to hold the event, but we need a few more things- food, wine and importantly, A NAME for the event.
We always have had catchy names for our fundraisers like Brews N Bears, Haunted Happenings, Bag the Blues, Roving Turtle Craft Fair, but Tanglewood Art Raffle isn't catchy, not at all. I keep trying to put Tanglewood, Nature, Art, Animals, Spring, Raffle, Support, all words relating to the event, in some sort of meaningful, easy to remember order. Animaffle? Spring Support? Art N Animals? Rafflewood? None of them work. Maybe readers of my blog will help name our next big fundraiser- I am pleading for creativity, cleanliness, catchiness, and a name that no one expects monetary compensation from if it's a hit (but we just might give mention of your help in our program for the evening...!) Thanks, good luck and bring em on!
I am the Director of Tanglewood Nature Center in Elmira, NY, I love my job the fabulous view out my office window and the people I work with. I have a great family- my firefighter husband, 3 kids, 2 stepkids, a pound puppy and 2 lizards. I am not a huge fan of cell phones and IMing. I think both are ruining our relationships with other people and our social skills. Kids don't need cell phones- not debatable with me so don't try.
